NPRA Calls for Support of NSR Program

26 July 2004 00:01  [Source: ICB Americas]

The petrochemical indus-try is urging the National Aca-demy of Sciences to support Bush administration efforts to reform the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review (NSR) permitting program, saying the revisions will help boost energy supplies without increasing air pollution.

Testifying before a panel of academy scientists, Norbert Dee, director of environment and safety for the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA), stressed that the NSR reform package—developed as a result of an open process that spanned two administrations—is long overdue and is not a rollback from the existing rules.

“The significant increases in emissions predicted by opponents have not occurred,” he said. “In fact, new more efficient technologies have been implemented which would not have been possible under the previous NSR rule.”

As a result, Mr. Dee said, emissions have been reduced, energy consumption cut and production of cleaner fuels increased because of a streamlined permit process.

The NPRA maintains that NSR reform will facilitate new domestic re-fining capacity expansions, encourage the installation of new, more efficient technologies and provide greater operational flexibility while maintaining a facility’s environmental performance.

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